Visit Vatican Gardens, the Pope's Garden of Eden

Extend your Vatican experience by visiting the Vatican Gardens, an oasis of peace, a place where many of the Pontiffs including Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis would escape to for a moment of tranquility and loneliness.

Vatican Gardens are closed to general public and the limited number of visitors who receive the permits must be accompanied by the authorised Vatican guide.

The guided visits, both in small groups or with a private guide are permitted in the morning only from Monday to Saturday with exception of Wednesday.

To book your exclusive Vatican Gardens visit in a group or in private please email us at:
tours@vaticantoursinc.com

Faith and Art Tours of Rome - history of Christianity through Rome churches

From ancient catacombs where traces of the Apostles can still be found, to the splendour of Rome's  Renaissance and Baroque churches, join us for the fascination tours of the history of Christianity.

All tours listed below are offered on a private basis with full attention of your private licensed guide, who not only shares your faith but also the deep interest in its testimony in Rome.

Please contact us at tours@vaticantoursinc.com for more information.

1.  Early Christian Landmarks in Rome

The Colosseum
the sight of Christian persecutions by emperor Nero

St. Peter's in Chains
chains of Peter and Paul from Mamartinum prison

Mamertinum Prison
the ancient prison cell where Peter and Paul had been kept in chains
before execution

Church of Domine Quo Vadis
where Peter meets Christ and he tries to fee Rome

the Catacombs on the Appian Way
the cemetery of the first Christian communities in Rome

The tour last 4 hours and the guide fee is E 240 for party up to 6 guests.
Public transportation tickets are E 8/person. Private transportation may be arranged at E 140/group
There is E 30/person fee for skip line entry to Colosseum and E 10/person fee to the Catacombs

2. The Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome

St. Peter's Basilica (including 0700 am mass in English )
including Pieta by Michelangello and the tomb of John Paul II

St. Paul outside the Walls
including Paul's tomb

St. Sebastian on the Appian Way
including the Catacombs and the relicts of the Saint

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
including the relicts of the Cross brought to Rome by St. Helen

St. John Lateran
including the relicts from the Last Supper

Scala Santa
and the steps from Pontus Pilate palace in Jerusalem

St. Mary Major
with some of the oldest mosaics in Rome

The tour last full day ( approximately 6 hours with snack and cappuciono break )  and the guide fee is E 360 for party up to 6 guests.  Public transportation tickets are E 8/person. Private transportation may be arranged at E 180/group

3. Life of Christ, the Roman relicts

visiting Santa Croce, St. John Lateran, Scala Santa, Santa Prassede, St. Mary the Major

Rome has a wide collection of Christian relics. Some of the relics originated in Rome (Peter, Paul, and other apostles are buried here in Roma), others, where brought to Rome by pilgrims to the Holy land, including St. Helen, mother of emperor Constantine,  still others were given as gifts to Popes as a way of winning favour or showing piety.

                                              Santa Croce in Gerusalemme

relict of the True Cross

                                                          St. John Lateran

with relicts from the Last Supper

                                                               Scala Santa

the steps from Pontus Pilate palace in JerusaleScala Santa

 

                                                        St. Mary Major

with reliquary of the Holy Crib

Santa Pressede

with relicts of Christ Passion

                                                                                                                                                  TOUR INFORMATION                                                        

The private tour last 4 hours and the guide fee is E 240 for party up to 6 guests.
Public transportation tickets are E 8/person. Private transportation may be arranged at E 140/group
Please contact us at tours@vaticantoursinc.com for more information and availability.

DO's and DONT's : How to Avoid Lines and Crowds in Vatican Museums

Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel were visited by over 6 million guests in 2018, making it the 4th most frequently visited museum in the world. In consequence, the Vatican Museums have been massively overcrowded with very long lines at its gates.

If you are participating in the Wednesday Audience with Pope Francis DO NOT plan to visit the Vatican Museums after the Audience as there are as a rule extremely overcrowded.

Typical crowd inside Vatican Museums on Wednesday afternoon

DO visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday morning or Thursday morning, possibly before the Vatican Museums open to general public.

Fewer people when you visit before 0900 am

DO consider very early start at 0800 am and be first to visit .

The best time to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel

BOOK YOUR SKIP LINE TICKETS FOR SELF GUIDED VISITS BEFORE VATICAN MUSEUMS OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC:

book 0830 am to 0900 am entry

book 0815 am to 0830 am entry

BOOK YOUR SEMI PRIVATE or PRIVATE TOUR of Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica:

book 0815 am tour

Newlyweds get VIP treatment during Papal Audience

Catholic couples who have celebrated their marriage vows recently can request special tickets to a VIP section at the Wednesday general audience and get the chance to greet the Pope and receive his blessing.

Please email us at tours@vaticantoursinc.com for more information should you be planning to participate in the event.

The Paul VI Audience Hall used for General Audiences in Wineter Time

The Paul VI Audience Hall (Italian: Aula Paolo VI) also known as the Hall of the Pontifical Audiences is a building in Rome named for Pope Paul VI with a seating capacity of 6,300, designed by the Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi and completed in 1971.It was constructed on land donated by the Knights of Columbus.

It lies partially in the Vatican City but mostly in Italy: the Italian part of the building is treated as an extraterritorial area of the Holy See and is used by the Pope as an alternative to Saint Peter's Square when conducting his Wednesday morning General Audience.